This winter term, I taught at York for the first time. Since coming to AMPD in the summer of 2019, I have engaged with many parts of our School, but not this most fundamental and important part. Teaching after a few years away has been a great pleasure for me as well as an important reminder of how hard it can be sometimes. I’m grateful to my theatre students for their patience as I reacquaint myself with a new syllabus and the nuances of eClass. Keeping up with our innovative students is always a challenge, but one that I have been very happy to rediscover.

I also continue to learn from our alumni. Tom Graham (Visual Arts ’75) recently shared a series of satiric postcards that he created about the Centre for Fine Arts, now the Joan and Martin Goldfarb CFA. I traveled to York alumni events in Hong Kong, Singapore and Seoul, where I learned about the range of creative activities that our alumni are leading around the world. Whether contributing to the future of performing arts design in Hong Kong, fine arts education, or advancing global brands such as Adidas and Canada Goose, York alumni are passionate about their work in the arts and design.

Our alumni are an inspiration, so keep sharing your stories! With nearly 20,000 AMPD alumni around the world, your histories and accomplishments pave the way for the next generation of students. Some of these accomplishments will be featured in the upcoming 2022-23 AMPD Annual Report. Stay tuned!

One of the most important things that we can teach our students – and ourselves – is how to keep on learning both within and beyond the classroom. This is one of the great pleasures of serving as Dean of AMPD. Every day, I learn from our students, faculty, alumni, staff, community partners and distinguished guests. As we celebrate the many special events in York University’s Year of the Arts this year, we all have the opportunity to learn not only from each other but from leading international artists.

In just the last few months, we have welcomed multi-Grammy award winner and Honorary Doctorate recipient, Terri Lyne Carrington as the Oscar Peterson artist-in-residence. Writer, producer and performer Carolyn Taylor delivered the Wendy Michener lecture and Meryl McMaster presented at the McMichael as part of the Goldfarb Lecture Series in Visual Art and Art History. Acclaimed designer and social innovator, Liz Ogbu worked with our graduate students in Design.

We were also proud to host alumnus Vinay Virmani (BA ’08), producer of the acclaimed film Black Ice, with Oscar-nominated Hubert Davis for a special screening of the film at York. I also had the chance to talk with noted alumnus, Brendan Fernandes (BFA ’02), about his career in arts for the Final Mile Club podcast.

Of course, back on campus, it has been a great year of learning together. Returning fully to our classrooms, studios, theatres, labs, and performance venues this year reminds us of the amazing opportunities and people that we have at York. Being able to live and learn more fully with each other is a real gift and in all our programs, we are making the most of our time together. As we near the end of term, I look forward to celebrating the great learning that our students and faculty have achieved this year and planning for what we will do together.

I hope that wherever you read this that you, too, are finding great opportunities to learn and to share new ideas with others. Thank you for your continued support of AMPD and I look forward to learning from you in the years to come.

Warmly,
Sarah

Gratitude

Legacy Giving…to create brighter futures!

Deborah Spicer (BA’74), a former journalist, fondly remembers her time as a Theatre and English student at York University. Like many, Deborah was the first in her family to attend university and, for her, it was an experience like no other. From traveling abroad for a theatre tour in London, England, to volunteering for student clubs, Deborah did it all.

When writing her Will, Deborah decided she wanted to give back by leaving a future legacy gift towards student awards. She hopes future students will receive the same opportunities she did, without any barriers to access. In Deborah’s words, “My bequest to York University is an expression of gratitude for the doors that York opened for me.” We invite you to read Deborah’s full story .

Many York alumni and donors include a legacy gift in their Will to support AMPD. These special gifts allow you to invest in AMPD’s future students while preserving wealth for yourself, your loved ones while taking care of your immediate and future needs.

If you may be interested in learning more about this way of giving to support AMPD, or if you’d like to share your York story, please let us know. I’d be happy to set up a quick 20-minute phone conversation with you, at your convenience. To begin creating your York AMPD legacy, get in touch with us for a confidential discussion to explore your options. We are here to help you set up a gift in the most meaningful, tax-efficient way. Informing us of your intentions helps ensure that we will be able to accept and use your gift according to your wishes. Your generosity will be celebrated and recognized today since you will be welcomed as a special member of York’s White Rose Legacy Circle.

As always, our most sincere thanks for your support. If you have any questions about giving to AMPD, please contact Len Milley at lenm@yorku.ca or 647-285-5712.

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Len Milley
Associate Director, Advancement

The Final Mile Club: Brendan Fernandes on Getting Started

In the newest installment of the Final Mile Club podcast, multidisciplinary artist Brendan Fernandes shares practical tips on securing funding as an artist. Grounded in lived experience as a York …

Continue reading “The Final Mile Club: Brendan Fernandes on Getting Started”

Gratitude

Legacy Giving…to create brighter futures!

AMPD Networking and Mentoring

Join the Dean’s Circle

The Final Mile Club: Brendan Fernandes on Getting Started

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